Welding holder



P 5, 1944' E. 22-. MPKELLAE I 2352529 WELDING HOLDER Filed June 21 1945 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept; 5, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELDING HOLDER Everett Dougald McKellar, Kirkland, Wash. Application June 21, 194:, Serial No. 491,689 1 Claim. (Cl. 2194) The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted behold a welding rod, the construction being such that no metal parts are exposed, to short circuit and cause a flash. The

invention aims to provide a device of the class described which will be durable and easily repaired, the article being capable of handling welding rods of different diameters, without side p ay.

The invention proposes novel means for gripping a welding rod and to supply novel means whereby electrical current may be carried to the welding rod.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present inven tion appertains.

With theabove and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal section, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section at right angles to the showing of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. 4

In constructing a welding rod holder in accordance with the invention, there is provided a casing I, which is made preferably of a plastic that is refractory to heat. As indicated at 2, the casing I embodies laterally separable parts held together by securing devices, such as countersunk rivets 3 and 4.

Near its rear end, the casing I is provided with an elongated, upstanding projection 5, merging into a circular, terminal depending head 6, the words depending and upstanding being used with reference to the device as it appears in Fig. 1 f the drawing.

In the end of the head 6 there is an arcuate slot I which communicates with the rear end of an elongated chamber 8, formed in the casing I. The forward end of the casing I has a longitudinal, rod-receiving opening 9, communicating with the chamber 8.

For cooling purposes, the casing I is supplied with a plurality of slots I0. Immediately to the rear of the forward wall of the chamber 8, the casing I is supplied in its bottom with an opening I I, which affords an exit for material that otherwise be crowded into the device when the welding rod is inserted into the casing through the opening 9.

In the opposed sides mounted transversely spaced conducting strips I2, which extend backwardly, from the forward end of the chamber, into that portion of the chamber which is located in the head 5. As shown best in Fig. 2, the slots I0 lead inwardly to the conducting strips I2, and enable them be air-cooled. A fixed jaw I4 is held between the strips I2 by a transverse securing devices I5, such as rivets.

A block or track I6 is held between the conducting strips I2, and on the casing I, by the securing device 4, A securingdevice I I connects the block I6 to the conducting strips I2 only. The block I 6 presents a longitudinally inclined surface toward the fixed jaw I4.

A movable, wedge-shaped J'aw I8 is mounted for reciprocation on the inclined surface of the block I6 and cooperates with the fixed jaw I4 in gripping a welding rod. The inner surfaces of the jaws I4 and I8 have cooperating longitudinal V-shaped grooves defining an approximately rectangular opening I 9 for the reception of a weld- I ing rod. The construction 'last above mentioned results in a firm hold of the jaws I4 and I8 on welding rods of different diameters. The jaw I8 7 has an inclined longitudinal surface 20, cooperatis grounded) is pulled loose from the holder while The recess 2| communicates with the chamberthe longitudinal axis Of the recess being disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal of the chamber 8 are axis of the chamber. There is a correspondingly inclined bore 22 in the casing, the forward end of the bore being in communication with the recess 2|, the bore having an enlargement 23 at its rear end.

The movable jaw I8 is provided with a straight handle 24, extended through the recess 2| and slidably mounted in the bore 22. The handle 24 is disposed at-an acute angle to the' longitudinal axis of the chamber 8. At the placeof juncture between the handle 24 and the movable jaw 18, there is formed a shoulder 25 which stops the inward movement of the welding rod, as it is insorted through the opening 9 of the casing I and into the opening l9 that exists between the jaws l4 and E8.

The handle 24 ment 26 engaged by the rear end of a compression spring 21. The forward end of the compression spring 27 abuts against a forward shoulder formed in the casing I by the recess 2!, and against the conducting strips I2, at the forward end of the recess 2|. Thefunction of the spring is supplied with a'fixed abut 21 is to thrust, the handle 24 backwardly, thereby causing the jaw E8 to coact withthe jaw H4 in gripping a welding rod. The recess 2| forms a rear shoulder which constitutes a stop that is engaged by the abutment 26, to limit the rearward movement of the handle 24. A thumb piece 28 is secured to the rear end of the handle 24, and a portion of the thumb piece is received in the enlargement 23 of the bore 22. The thumb piece 28 is made of insulating material and, referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that even though the handle 24 may have been retracted to the limit, the handle is not exposed, to be touched by an operator, or to cause a short circuit.

The numeral 29 marks a conducting arm, adapted to be assembled with a grip of any desired sort (not shown). The arm 29 extends into the slot 1 of the casing i, between the conducting strips l2. A shaft 30 is mounted in the part 6 of the casing and passes through the rear portions of the conducting strips l2, and through the upper portion of the arm 29. Thus, the casing 9 is mounted for swinging adjustment on the arm 29. The rear end of the handle 24 is located above and closely adjacent to the shaft or pivot element 36. The thumb piece 28 constitutes means on the rear end of the handle 26 for receiving thrust-actuation directly from the hand of an operator when said hand receives the arm 29, and its aforesaid grip (not shown). Enlarged openings 3| are formed in the casing I, about the shaft 30 and adjacent to the conducting strips l2. Compression springs 32 are disposed in the openings 3|, the outer ends of the springs the jaw l8, causes abutting against the casing I, the inner ends of the springs exerting pressure on the rear portions of the conducting strips 12, to cause them to have av firm, electrical contact with the interposed upper portion of the arm 29.

The spring 21, reacting on the handle 24 and that jaw to cooperate with the fixed jaw I4 in the gripping of a welding rod, the rod being released by advancing-the jaw,.l8 when pressure is exerted on thethumbpi'ec'e 28;

Current is supplied to the welding rod through the arm 29, the conducting strips l2 and the jaws l4 and I8.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is simple in construction, but it will be found thoroughly emcient to promote the advantages referred to in the opening portion of this specification and at other places hereinbefore.

. I claim:

A welding rod holder comprising a casing having an elongated chamber andprovided at its forward end with. a rod-receivingopening, the casing having a recess communicating with the chamber and defin' g a forward shoulder and a rear shoulder, the longitudinal axis of the recess being disposed atan acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the chamber, a pair of conducting members fixed in the casing at the sides of the chamber, a fixed jaw disposed between the conducting members and located near the opening and forming a space members near the rear end of the casing, a p vot element engaging the arm and the rear portions of the conducting members, a straight handle mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in the casing and extended through the recess, the handle being disposed at said acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the chamber, the rear end of the handle being located above and closely adjacent to the pivot element, means on the rear end of the handle for receiving thrust-actuation directly from the hand of an operator when said hand receives the arm, an abutment on the handle, a compression spring in the recess and engaging the forward shoulder and the abutment, the rear shoulder forming a stop which the abutment engages, a casing and having a longitudinally-inclined surface, and a movable jaw secured to the handle and having an inclined surface cooperating with the inclined surface of the track to move the movable jaw transversely away from the fixed jaw of the spring.

EVERETT DOUGALD MCKELLAR.

between said members, a. conducting arm extended into said space and engaging the conducting track in the 

